Laryngoscope



E. T. MRCH Aug. 11, 1953 LARYNGOSCOPE Filed 001'.. 18. 1951 l l n Patented Aug. 11, 1953 UNITED STAT S PATENT OFFICE The present invention relates in general to medical and surgical instruments, and it deals more particularly with laryngoscopes.

It is the object of the invention, broadly speaking, to provide an improved form oi laryngoscope which is relatively simple and economical to construct and to use which is versatile and readily adapted for use with patients of all ages and sizes; which is rugged and durable; and in which the critical components may easily be sterilized, using standard equipment and techinques.

A feature of the invention in providing a handle capable of receiving a variety of interchangeable blades for use in larynogosccpy, and a particularly important feature lies in the arrangement ,I provide for detachably mounting the blades on the handle.

Another object is to provide a larynogcscope having' novel means for illuminating the interior of the throat and larynx to he examined hy the laryngoscopist. According to my invention, blades carry no lamp bulbs or other electrical components, a factor which contributes to their economy and at the same time obviates the diniH culties which heretofore have attenfed the sterilization of such blades. Another important feature resides in the manner in which I have assembled all of the electrical components, including a light source, on the handle ci my unit a compact and sturdy assembly which may readily dctached from the blades for the purpose of sterilizing the latter or for substituting one for another. Still another feature lies in my arrangement for concentrating roc-using upon the parts being examined, light from light source positioned on the handle of my device and spaced at a considerable distance from said parts.

Another object is to provide a laryngoscroo having a compact self-contained source of elect cal power for energizing the light source, wl'ierehy the unit is portable and easily manipulated he laryngoscopist. l'n the latter co ection, e. further feature resides in the pro n of circuit controlling switch of novel cons notion.

Other objects or the invention, together with additional features of novelty whereby such ob jects are achieved, will appear in the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings which form part of the specification and to be read in conjunction therewith, and which like reference numerals are employed to indicate 'lie parts of the various views:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View of my laryngo scope, indicating its mode or use in connection with a diagrammatic showing or" a patient,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the laryngoscope, illustrating a preferred form of blade and also showing the upper end or the handle upon which the blade is adapted. to be mounted,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse cross section taken along the line 3 3 of Fig. l in the direction of the arrows,

Fig. el is an enlarged transverse cross section taken along the line i-li of Fig, l in the direction of the arrows, and

Fig. 5 is an exploded view of the major switch components of my unit.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the handle le of my laryngoscope comprises a tubular shell or housing which is adapted to receive a pair of dry cells I2 of the Flashlight loattery type, these being disposed end to end in a manner well known to those familiar with. the use of such cells.

One end of the housing is closed by a headpiecc it which is secured in place by screws i5. The headpiece will be described in more detail presently but it may be noted at this point that it coin tains a socket i8 for receiving a small incandescent lamp 2Q. One terminal of the lamp is in direct Contact with the headpiece and thus is connected through the headpiece to the metallic shell it; the other lamp terminal is connected by an insulated conductor (not shown) extending through the headpiece to the central post oi th upper dry cell.

The opposite end or the tubular housing l is internally threaded to receive a screw cap 22, the latter having an outwardly extending annular shoulder 243, which abuts against the end of the housing to limit the distance the cap can be screwed into the housing. Within the cap there is a circular well 2&5 which receives a generally disc-shaped insulator 22; as best seen in 1F ig. 5, the insulator has a pair of integral laterally spaced legs 23a adapted to seat against the bottom of the well and hold the main body or the insulator spaced above the bottom as shown in Fig. e. A screw s@ extending through a central hole in the end of the cap 22 and into a threaded hole lith in the insulator holds the latter in place in the well.

The upper face of the insulator 23 contains a circular recess 23e in which is seated the large end or a generally conical compression spring The small end of the spring presses upwardly on the base of the lower dry cell i2 to make electrical contact therewith and also to maintain the cells in contact with one another as is well known in the art. The lower end of the spring extends nally inward from the end of the rib whereby said socket is offset laterally from said shank, said socket being spaced above the level of said shank, a lamp supported in said socket and adapted to be energized by the batteries in said housing thereby to project a beam of light longitudinally of the blade along one edge thereof, said edge of the blade being turned upwardly and inwardly toward the center of the blade to form a Cshaped channel along the edge, said last channel being substantially coaxial with said lamp and socket thereby to guide the light from the lamp longitudinally of the blade toward the free end thereof and prevent the beam from spreading laterally beyond said one edge.

2. In a laryngoscope, a tubular battery housing, a headpiece mounted on said housing at one end thereof, said headpiece having a pair of laterally spaced ribs disposed crosswise of the axis of the housing with a trough-shaped channel between the ribs terminating at its lateral edges in undercuts running longitudinally of the confronting inner surfaces of the ribs, an elongate blade having at one end a trough-shaped shank slidably received in said channel with its opposite longitudinal edges seated against said undercuts whereby said ribs are on either side of said shank, one of said ribs extending higher above the shank than the other and also being thicker than the other rib in transverse cross section, said one rib containing a socket extending longitudinally inward from the end of the rib whereby said socket is oiset laterally from said shank, said socket being spaced above the level of said shank, a lamp supported in said socket and adapted to be energized by the batteries in said housing thereby to project a beam of light longitudinally of the blade along one edge thereof, and said blade having along said one edge a light-concentrating beam guide including an upstanding longitudinal iiange positioned beside the beam to prevent same from spreading laterally beyond said one edge of the blade.

3. A laryngoscope as in claim 2 having latch means for releasably securing said shank in said channel, said latch means comprising a socket extending inwardly from the channel, a detent positioned in said socket, spring means in the socket urging said detent outwardly toward said shank, and a dimple in said shank for receiving the detent.

4. A laryngoscope as in claim 2 having a cupshaped cap screw-threadedly attached to the end of the tubular battery housing opposite said headpiece, a circular insulator in said cap, means for securing said insulator to the cap in spaced relation to the base thereof, said means including spacers between the insulator and the base of the cap and a central screw extending axially from the cap and having threaded connection with the insulator for drawing same toward the base of the cap, a switch plate in the cap between the base thereof and said insulator pivoted on said screw, a spring encircling the screw between the plate and the base of the cap urging the plate against said insulator, a ring encircling said cap and rotatable thereon, means connecting said plate to said ring to turn therewith between two end positions, a coil spring mounted on said insulator to press against the end battery in said housing, and said spring having a terminal extending through the insulator in a position to be engaged by a portion of said plate in one of said positions.

ERNST TRIER MRCH.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,070,820 Allyn Feb. 16, 1937 2,433,705 Palmeter Dec. 30, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 612,116 Great Britain Nov. 9, 1948 

